Narrow win keeps DSG's playoff hopes alive

Durban's Super Giants kept their SA20 2025-26 playoff hopes alive with a narrow two-wicket win over table-toppers Sunrisers Eastern Cape in Gqeberha on Sunday.

Set a target of 159, DSG were off to a flier before losing the plot in the middle. The tail, however, held their nerve to script a thrilling win—their first since the season opener—keeping their campaign afloat with two games remaining.

A late flourish helped SEC recover after losing wickets at regular intervals. After opting to bat first, both Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow fell cheaply inside four overs. At 26/2, Matthew Breetzke (20 off 22) and Jordan Hermann (29 off 24) steadied the ship with a 38-run stand.

Both failed to convert their starts, triggering a mini-collapse of 3 for 23. Skipper Tristan Stubbs then combined with Lewis Gregory to stabilise the innings. Stubbs turned it around in the final three overs, accelerating from 11 off 18 to an unbeaten 47 off 30 balls. SEC plundered 53 runs off the final 18 deliveries to finish on 158/5.

That momentum was quickly undone by a brisk opening stand of 49 in four overs from DSG. Aiden Markram (25 off 13) and Marques Ackerman (45 off 26) each hit six boundaries, setting the tone for the chase before Senuran Muthusamy made a timely breakthrough.

After Markram's departure, Ackerman found company in Jos Buttler, who chipped in a run-a-ball 22. A brief stutter followed as DSG lost four wickets for 36 runs in five overs, creating panic in the dugout.

The tail kept chipping away at the total, taking the game to the final over where Evan Jones and Kwena Maphaka kept their calm to seal the victory.

Brief scores:
Sunrisers Eastern Cape 158/5 in 20 overs (Tristan Stubbs 47*, Jordan Hermann 29) lost to Durban's Super Giants 162/8 in 19.3 overs (Marques Ackerman 45, Aiden Markram 25; Senuran Muthusamy 2-20) by 2 wickets.